Day 243 - devotionals

In the evening, just before bed, Ken leads the family devotional time.  It took a little while to get Courtney and Claire to sit through it but now they know and expect the routine.   It has become a very special and important part of the day for our family.  We are all learning from the scriptures, lessons and the good discussions.

Day 242 - summer dresses

Once we hit the end of the summer I always end up finding a few dresses that the girls haven't worn yet.  Luckily September and October still call for summer dresses on most days.  Grandma bought these dresses for the girls this summer and they were really excited to wear them.  Here is our usual against-the-garage-door pose.

Day 241 - reading reward

Caroline filled up her reading chart this week.  Her prize was a really sweet doll sticker book.  She loves it so much more than I imagined.  She works on it every day and puts it away in a special drawer when she is done.  I get so happy when I find something she enjoys this much because nothing really compares to the dollhouse.  She is such a sweetie :)

Day 240 - so thankful

God answers prayers.  We tell the girls this constantly but today they saw that it really happens.  Ken was supposed to be laid off today.  That was the plan at his company.  Ken had such an amazing attitude about the whole thing and he was so faithful in trusting God to provide.  He worked so hard and it really paid off.  They told him today that he would not be laid off and that they had never seen anyone do what he has done in the past six weeks at work.  We're really proud of him.  The girls ran out to meet him when he came home today.  They were yelling, "yeah!  Daddy gets to keep his job!"  I think they were extra worried because lately they've been watching Kit Kittredge (American Girl movie) which takes place during the Great Depression.  All of their dollhouse play has included soup kitchens, selling eggs and wearing dresses made out of feed sacks.  We are so thankful.

Day 239 - beginning days

We started a lighter version of school this week.  The official first day will be the day after Labor Day but I wanted to ease everyone into the routine.  I especially need this time to see how Courtney and Claire fit into the day.   I knew I would work with them first to give them 'mommy time' before doing school with the big girls.  They actually stayed with us the whole time and wanted to take part in all of Caroline's activities.  They did more than I expected and it gave me a good feel on scheduling our day.  I know it wont always go as smoothly as it's gone this week but I am really excited and thankful.

We are studying Creation for these first 10 days before the regular lessons start.  The crafts, lessons and snacks have been wonderful so far.  I love this curriculum!  Today, Day 4 of Creation, God made the sun, moon and stars.  So everything we did revolved around that truth.  Calista made a fun snack of crackers & cheese in sun, moon and star shapes.  This picture is from Day 3 when God made the seas, dry land and plants.  That was the best snack....dirt cups (chocolate pudding and oreos).  Fun, fun week so far!

Loving Our Curriculum

I've only started using the My Father's World Kindergarten so far but I just love it!  Although I was planning on mainly using it with Caroline, I also made some copies for Courtney and Claire to join in.  I'm sure glad I did because they have not missed a beat.  They love it and so does Caroline.  These first 10 days are about Creation so we've been doing some fun projects and having some yummy snacks.  Sunshine is also working in a few of her subject areas but we wont officially begin her curriculum until the 8th.

It's really helping me to start with one curriculum first to see how it will play out with the twins and Caroline.  I know that I will be working with them first each morning because it will be much easier to give them independent time once they have already had time with me.  I'll keep Caroline longer and hopefully pull her into some of Calista's curriculum if she is interested.

So here are a few highlights from our first three days of (almost) school.

Here they are reviewing letter sounds with their ABC chart.

Caroline making her Day 1 of Creation page.

Caroline and Claire eating their snack representing dark and light.

Coloring their Creation Number after our Bible lesson.

Creating their Day 2 page for their Creation Book.

Yummy (but not very filling) snack representing the sky and water that God created.

They love the ABC game more than I thought they would.

Day 3 of Creation Book page. 

Calista working on her United States History Notebook.  I got this wonderful idea from another homeschool mommy here.

We still have a few more days of Creation to go but I was just so excited about what they have done so far that I had to start blogging about it. :)

Day 238 - pool day with friends

We went to a pool day at the Green's house today.  The kids and moms here are part of our homeschool group.  The girls were really looking forward to this and all of the activities we do together.  There are probably about 30 kids in our El Dorado Hills Group.  There are already a lot of wonderful things planned for this year.  We have park days, field trips, oral presentations, extracurricular classes and more.  This group and the people in it are an important part of our homeschool journey.

Day 237 - sticker charts

Courtney and Claire are working on obeying all the way, right away and with a happy heart.  This is their sticker chart.  I wasn't sure if they would get into it or not but it's been a hit.  I love to see how they line up their stickers.  I think they are ready for a new one.

Day 236 - gentle brushing

Hair brushing is not a favorite around here.  I just hold the brush up and they start shrieking.  Claire announced today that Caroline would be brushing her hair now.  Sweet Caroline said she could do it really well because she knew how it felt when it wasn't done gently.  Okay, I got the message.  She brushed her hair for about 20 minutes, seriously.  I couldn't even bring myself to check for tangles when she was done.   It didn't really matter anymore.

Our (almost) First Day

We're starting school today in a very modified version. Our official first day is September 8th but for the next two weeks I will be working on preparing Courtney and Claire. I am going to have them participate as much as they would like to with Caroline's Kindergarten curriculum but also have activities and school time tailored to their needs. We've been working on getting a good morning routine down (make beds and then breakfast) but today I am adding the rest of the morning chores before breakfast. I would like to have everyone dressed and ready for breakfast so we can all start school before 8:30 am. They are early risers so I doubt it will be a problem. We may even be able to make it by 8am.

Day 235 - fall kick-off at church

Sundays are back to being our busiest days.  Although this year they will probably be even busier than last.  All four girls will be in Awana this year and Ken is going to be a leader.  It's pretty excited and the girls can't wait to start.  They will also be in the play again this year which also has practice starting on Sundays before Awana.  I am going to use that big block of time for my weekly planning and I'm thrilled to have it carved out for that purpose.

Tonight we had a Fall Kick-Off at church for the children.  We had a chance to get them signed up for everything and they had a great time playing with their friends and having root beer floats.   We stayed a little past bedtime because they were having so much fun and the weather was perfect.  Besides, we were enjoying ourselves too.

Day 234 - daddy time

Ken took the girls to the pool this afternoon so I could have some school planning time.  The house was so quiet and I really got a lot done in two hours.  He said that each one took their turn having a melt down but it was a fun time overall.  Being the calm man that he is, he can roll with the drama pretty well.

Day 233 - my stamp club

One of the first things I looked for when we moved here was a Stampin' Up demonstrator.  I love their products and wanted to find someone near my home so I could attend workshops or stamping nights.  I got really lucky and found someone a few streets away.  The best part is that she has turned out to be a good friend too.  She has Stamp Club every third Friday of the month and I just love going.  This Friday another friend, Anne, from church attended also and I think she might be hooked now as well.  This picture includes about half of our very sweet group of gals.

Day 233 - making cookies

They can pretty much do it on their own now. I stayed close by but they really didn't need much help.

Day 232 - webkinz

Calista has a few webkinz now and every once in a while she enjoys playing on Webkinz World. Caroline was next to her playing with Polly Pockets and the twins were asleep. It was a nice quiet time for mommy to take a little nap :)

Day 231 - the wedding

Dancing on Caroline's wedding day.

Day 230 - our little daredevil

Courtney does crazy things like .... jumping down a flight of cement stairs, jumping into the pool with no life jacket on .... and other craziness that makes me nearly pass out. Today as we were simply riding our bikes and playing out front she decided to pop wheelies with her little pink bike. This time she actually fell totally backwards and hurt herself a little. Of course, she got back on and did it again.

Day 229 - a fun afternoon at the lake

The girls were all really tired (and irritable) today. We went out on the lake yesterday afternoon and stayed longer than usual. In fact, it was dark when we finally got back up to the truck to leave.

It was so much fun and the girls had a blast. A funny thing happened to Ken when he was being pulled on the tube though. His shorts ripped open in the back when he fell and he didn't notice until the kids told him. He had to wear a towel the rest of the time there. It was about time he lost those trunks though...he's had them since our honeymoon.

Day 228 - a nice visit

We had a nice visit today from Grandpa, Grammy and GG. It had been a long time since we had seen Lynn (GG for Great Grandma) so it was neat to visit with her. They were on their way up to the annual Roberts Lake Tahoe trip.

Day 227 - more polly pockets

Calista and I went to a homeschool curriculum sale today. We found so many (too many) used books that we could use this year and spent very little. It was really fun looking around and talking with the other homeschool moms. Calista really got the best deal though. She and Caroline purchased this used Polly Pocket stash for $5. Now where to store it???

Day 226 - calista's bike

We've been meaning to get Calista a new bike. This was her first bike and it's a little too small (and falling apart). Luckily, she isn't complaining. We keep thinking we'll get one but then something more important comes up (like curriculum) and then we need to spend the money on that. I actually think she'd chose books over a bike anyway but we'd still like to get her one someday.

Day 225 - a cavity

Calista had a cavity filled today. She was surprisingly excited to go and the whole visit went really well. The rest of the girlies and I waited in toy/waiting room for over an hour but it went by quickly. The girls were so entertained with the toys that I just got to sit and read. It's seriously the best dental office I have ever seen. It is completely geared for children and we love how sensitive they are to children. Calista breezed through her filling and can't wait to return. They told me she was the sweetest, easiest patient ever. :)

Day 224 - brave (sort of) mommy

I thought I was being so brave today now that I write this I realize it wasn't that big of a deal. Just a first.

I took the girls to the pool at the club without having Ken or anyone else to help. Calista is the only one who knows how to swim. I still have to watch her since it's really her first year with all of the confidence of a swimmer. Caroline wont leave the step unless she has a life vest. Courtney thinks she knows and will take off running to the opposite side and just jump. Claire is unpredictable, depends on the day.

So I chose the first day of (public) school to be brave. The place was empty so it was easy. We swam all around the pool, had lunch and went home for nap time. We're going to enjoy just a little bit more of this summer weather before we start school. Oh, and it went so well in the morning that we decided to return after nap time. Fun day :)

Day 223 - dance class

There is no end in sight to the ballerina craze. Last weekend we went to the free dance classes at Caroline's dance studio. Calsita really wants to take ballet and the twins say they want dance class also. Well, Calista loved it and if funds are available, we'll do it for her. :) Courtney lasted through most of her class while Claire would barely move. She just wanted to hide in my lap. I'm not going to enroll them yet anyway. They can learn ballet from their sisters for now and they will be much happier about it.

Day 222 - tooth fairy returns

The tooth fairy came last night. Calista lost her first front tooth. It seems like it has been wiggly for months! She has been carrying a little plastic baggy (to store her tooth) every time we leave the house. So I'm glad she finally lost it. She is really, really excited :)

Day 221 - daddy's birthday

The girls woke Ken up this morning with a USC parade. We let him sleep in a little but when they couldn't wait any longer they marched into the room with their signs, chanting the USC fight song instead of Happy Birthday. I'm sure he liked that more anyway.

We really just hung around the house most of the day. The girls were making presents, cake and decorating the table for dinner. After dinner went to the pool.

I think he had a happy birthday :)

Day 220 - zones

I changed our chores charts. After reading Flylady's book and going through her website I've decided that I can make this work for us too. Last time I tried her method I got overwhelmed but I'm just going slower this time and trying not to implement everything the same day.

Today I taught the girls how to really clean their zones. Caroline was over the top with excitement about cleaning the potty with the scrubber. Calista just wanted to mop and help cook so she was really happy with the kitchen zone. They'll switch zones weekly and get through all five zones in our house.

I'm not including Courtney and Claire yet. At this point they're learning to clean up after themselves. They have to make their bed before breakfast, take their plates to the sink and pick up their toys throughout the day.

Day 219 - lunch duty

Sometimes it feels as if I'm making and cleaning up meals all day. Today I told the girls it was time to take turns and they jumped at the opportunity. I know this excitement wont last long but at least long enough to really teach them. We're going to make a lunch menu so we're not eating the same thing every day. Seriously, it's either pbj, turkey & cheese or bagels & yogurt.

They all want to help so Courtney and Claire set the table. It wont be long before they want to make lunch too. The whole process is definitely more chaotic and messy this way but it's fun for them and good in the long run I'm sure.

Day 218 - good morning mommy!

Courtney and Claire had their three year old check-up today. We saw Dr. Laura and really loved her. She predicted that they would be a little taller than Calista and Caroline...more like 5'4". They were on the 50th percentile for height and weight. They were such little peanuts when they were born (almost 5lbs) that I would have never imagined.

This is how they greeted me this morning. They usually wake up and talk for a little bit in their beds and then come out looking for everyone. I laughed when I saw them come into my room.

Day 217 - claire, her book and her dog

Today was our library day. We've been going weekly now because Calista reads through her stash pretty quickly. Courtney and Claire like going too but it's still tough to keep them quiet. Another outing that will continue to get easier with time.

I brought home Babe, The Gallant Pig for read aloud and Claire will not put it down. She even napped with it today. That's her little dog in the picture too. He was a birthday present from Calista and Caroline....she loves him!

Day 216 - buddies on the white line

We have a lot of appointments and errands to run this week. Since Ken is interviewing for a new job we're trying to get all of our doctor and dentist visits scheduled. We're also getting ready to start school and I don't want to unnecessarily interrupt our day for an appointment. Their favorite stop is Target and that's where this happy picture was taken. Going there with everyone stresses me out a little but it is getting easier.

One thing they know to do when they get out of the truck is to stand on the white line with the twins in the middle until we're ready to go. We're also doing the buddy thing now (Calista & Courtney and Caroline & Claire). That means that the big girls help mommy with their buddy when mommy needs an extra pair of hands, eyes etc. They decided that they would trade buddies monthly. It's pretty cute how they love taking care of their little sisters.

Day 215 - the sign

The weather has been cooling off a little this week. We're into the high 80's instead of up into 100 degrees. It's a nice break and it's especially nice that we can spend more time outside. During the day we play more in the back yard but late in the afternoon the front yard is perfect.

Every time we play out front the girls love putting the sign out. I had seen moms in Colorado put the sign out when their kids were playing. I only had Calista at the time and had no idea what I was doing so I hadn't earned the sign yet. It meant more than 'kids at play' to me.

A few years, one baby and two moves later I saw the sign at Toys R Us and felt totally comfortable purchasing it. :) Had I known that I still had 2 babies and more moves ahead I just may have gotten an extra one.

Day 214 - a walk with courtney

The conversation during our walk.

Courtney

"Mommy, walk next to me"

me

"I'd love to"

Courtney

"Mommy, don't ever weave me. You stay with me."

me

"yes, Courtney. I'll always be with you. I'll never leave."

Courtney

"Mommy I wike walking next to you. I wuv you."

Day 213- miss katie and miss kerry

Miss Kerry and Miss Katie came over to bring the babies a birthday gift. It was so sweet of them. Calista and Caroline probably enjoyed the visit the most. They sat and listened to Kerry and Katie's childhood stories and begged for more. Just look at the way they are looking at them. Adoration. They are such great role models and friends ..... a blessing for our girls.